The Jewish Community in Italy Essay - 2754 Words

The Jewish Community in Italy Problems with format For centuries, there has been a Jewish community in parts of present-day Italy, dating back to the Roman Empire. In addition to religious differences, Jews were faced with political challenges as well. The Emperor was included in the pantheon of Roman tradition, which added a political obligation to religious, and thus Roman citizens were required to ?conciliate the gods.? For Jews, this requirement created many consequences.[1] According to estimates, there were five to seven million Jews in the Roman Empire during this time. The relations between the Jews and the Romans have always been complicated. For in 186 B.C. measures were taken against the Bacchanalia, but in 161 B.C., a†¦show more content†¦In addition to those geographically in Italy, many Jews were subject to Roman rule. After the tyrannical emperor Nero committed suicide and violent civil war, Vespasian, of the Flavian dynasty, gained control. In Judea, Roman rule seemingly contradicted the common Jewish re ligious-nationalist sentiments, but Roman rulers established various privileges for those with Hebraic religious beliefs. Jews, throughout the Empire, were not required to engage in emperor worship, since it was directly contrary to their monotheistic beliefs. Yet, the Jews and the Romans did clash on various issues; one example took place during the reign of Caligula, when he ?ordered that a golden statue of himself be placed in Jerusalem?s temple.?[5] After the Jews firmly resisted, Caligula rescinded his order. ?In 66 A.D., as a result of the encouragement of militant Jews, the Jewish community initiated a war of liberation. A five-month siege during 70 A.D., by the Romans, significantly hurt the Jews, and soon after, the Romans captured and destroyed the Jerusalem temple.? Then, the Romans transported approximately ten thousand Jews to Rome in order to build the Coliseum.? There was another Hebrew revolt in Judea under the rule of Hadrian, but the Romans were victorious again.? Most Palestinian Jews were sold into slavery, exiled to other lands, or killed.? Though the Jews in Rome were enslaved, their cultureShow MoreRelatedMussolini s Main Goals For Italy1177 Words   |  5 Pagesthou shalt not be a bystander† (A), these wise words were spoken by Yehuda Bauer, 65 years after the start of the Holocaust. Italy, under the rule of fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, was one of the many countries who turned her back on the Jewish people. Because of political, social and economic rea sons, Italy was a bystander to the heinous crimes inflicted on the Jewish population. Benito Mussolini took control of the Italian government in 1922, and ruled until 1943. Under Mussolini’s rule, democraticRead MoreAntisemitism in the Middle Ages1616 Words   |  7 PagesWorld. The Spanish Inquisition was one of the darkest periods of time in Jewish history. 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